Light recreational vehicles for both on and off road use have become increasingly popular. Many of these vehicles are primarily intended for use in fair weather conditions, but on occasion the operator of such a vehicle may encounter rain, snow or other adverse conditions. This is especially true in the case of boats and snowmobiles, which by their nature regularly encounter water, snow, and/or ice.
Many, if not most of these vehicles are relatively sparsely equipped in terms of auxiliary equipment which has come to be accepted as necessary in the automotive field, such as heaters, lights, horns and windshield wipers. However, the need for such equipment is readily apparent at times, particularly the need for windshield wipers in such vehicles as boats and snowmobiles as well as motorcycles operated in inclement weather. Moreover, many persons are constructing automotive vehicles from kits, and these vehicles are generally required to be equipped with all the features and devices required of production automobiles if they are to be driven on the road. However, it can be difficult to find such equipment which is readily adaptable to such vehicles without extensive modification.
The need arises for a windshield wiper unit which may be readily adapted to or installed upon such vehicles as boats, snowmobiles, motorcycles, all terrain vehicles, and ultralight aircraft, as well as other applications, which wiper unit may be quickly and easily installed and removed as required. The wiper unit must provide the basic features which have come to be accepted as standard in automotive practice, such as a limit or "park" function as in automotive units. The wiper unit should be self contained, with all required mechanical components necessary for the operation of a single wiper arm and blade contained in a single mechanical unit. Additional wipers may be added as necessary by merely adding additional independent mechanical units. The provision of an electrical motor operating on the standard voltage of such vehicle systems is also desired, or alternatively battery power may be used.